CVE-2005-4795 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the multi-language environment library (libmle) in Solaris 7 and 8, as shipped with the Japanese locale, allows local users to gain privileges via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4795 represents a critical security flaw within the multi-language environment library component of Solaris 7 and 8 operating systems when configured with Japanese locale settings. This issue falls under the category of privilege escalation vulnerabilities, specifically targeting the underlying localization infrastructure that handles international character sets and language processing. The vulnerability exists within the libmle library which serves as a foundational component for multi-language support in Solaris environments, making it a critical element for system security and stability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from implementation flaws within the Japanese locale handling mechanisms of the Solaris operating system's internationalization framework. When the system is configured with Japanese locale settings, the libmle library fails to properly validate or sanitize input data that flows through its processing pipeline, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited by local users. This weakness allows unauthorized individuals with local access to potentially elevate their privileges within the system, bypassing normal access controls and security boundaries that typically protect system resources. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests multiple potential pathways through which the vulnerability could be exploited, making it particularly challenging to defend against completely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of Solaris systems running with Japanese locale configurations. Local users who can exploit this vulnerability gain elevated system privileges that could enable them to access sensitive system files, modify critical configurations, install malicious software, or potentially compromise the integrity of the entire system. This risk is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Solaris systems may be running with elevated privileges or where local access might be obtained through various legitimate means such as user accounts, service accounts, or compromised credentials. The vulnerability affects systems that have not been patched or updated, leaving organizations exposed to potential exploitation by adversaries who may have gained local access through other means.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-4795 should focus on immediate patching of affected Solaris systems with the vendor-provided security updates that address the underlying implementation flaws in the libmle library. Organizations should prioritize updating systems running with Japanese locale configurations, as these represent the primary attack surface for this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict access controls to limit local user privileges, monitoring system logs for unusual privilege escalation attempts, and conducting regular security assessments to identify systems that may be running unpatched versions of the affected libraries. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privileges, and represents a significant concern for organizations following security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 that emphasize the importance of privilege control and access management. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation, highlighting the need for comprehensive endpoint protection and privilege management controls to prevent exploitation of such weaknesses in system libraries.